ECOCLUB Blogs™

Recent articles in the New York Times that are interrelated (but some people might not yet see the correlation). The first is about preservation of culinary heritage in France (implementation plan not yet clear). The second is about disappearing culinary heritage in one region of Crete and the health consequences of adopting western eating habits (and the influence-power of western junk food PR). This is all the more reason find concrete ways to preserve disappearing traditions that are healthier for people and the planet, beginning with the obvious -- tangible support for current educational-preservation programs and acknowledgment of the benefits of such programs for residents and visitors.French Cuisine, Exalted by Chefs as a World Heritage TreasureBy ELAINE SCIOLINOPublished: September 23, 2008, The New York Timeshttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/dining/2...per&oref=sloginFast Food Hits Mediterranean; a Diet SuccumbsBy ELISABETH ROSENTHALPublished: September 23, 2008, The New York Timeshttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/world/eu.../24diet.html?em

According to Rajendra Pachauri, who chairs the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), meat production puts more greenhouse gases (18% of the total) into the atmosphere than transport. This 18% includes gases released by clearing forested land, making & transporting fertiliser, burning fossil fuels in farm vehicles and "the front and rear end emissions of cattle and sheep" as BBC politely puts it.So "offset" your meat, rather than your flights, and offset it the real way, by not consuming it!Which may also help you limit your rear end emissions

Greetings,Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries August Newsletter is up.It's officially hot and sunny until further notice. If we don't have to cook, we won't.http://www.cookingincrete.com/CCS-Newslett...ummer-2008.htmlAll the best,Nik

Greetings,Scholarships are available for Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries Seminar Series: Cuisine from the Ground Up, focus on traditional, sustainable foodwaysOctober 12 - 18, 2008, Crete, Greece. An accredited program for professionals from the agriculture, culinary arts and sustainable development fields. Presentations by sustainable organic farmers, chefs, vintners, botanists, nature conservationists and historians. Limited to 12 participants. 35 CE hours (CDR and ACF). Coordinated with Field to Plate USA. Details are on our website www.cookingincrete.com.All the best,Nikki and the CCS NetworkCCS is an acclaimed program for best practices in responsible travel

Iceland is gaining a reputation as the hottest ‘cool’ destination in the Atlantic because of its stunning scenery and unique geothermal features. What is less well known is the abundance of wildlife watching opportunities found here. Located at 66° North, Iceland lets its visitors look at the Arctic Circle.Iceland is also a great place to cast your gaze on several species of whales including Minke, Humpback, Sperm, Sei and the rare Blue whale. It is estimated that 14 species of whales reside or travel through the waters around this island nation.Reaching Iceland for whale watching is relatively easy despite its location near the top of the world. Daily flights from North America and Europe arrive in Reykjavik; from here you can hope a short domestic flight to the city of Akureyri. An hour’s drive east will bring you to Husavik, often called the whale watching capital of Europe. The Husavik harbor, surrounded by high mountain peaks, offers stunning photo ops and is home base for several whale watching companies.The traditional wooden boats found in the Husavik harbor are beautiful to behold and comfortable for travel if you can handle the sway. It’s a bit more noticeable than on bigger and newer...

one of the axioms of economics is that there are no free meals. FreeRice.com disagrees. Play a word definition game, win and donate 20 grains of rice each time to the UN World Food Program, as an advertisers banner is displayed. Hmmm, every time the banner is from...Unilever. ...So I tried the word game and made Unilever pay for a whopping 2,500 grains of rice. What nonsense.

Once more, fires decimating what's left of suburban forests in Athens. 'Arsonists', 'usual suspects' etc. are blamed by gullible & hysteric media, as they are convenient for the inadequacy & indifference of officials, who can spend millions on fire-fighting aircraft (with some associates pocketing some nice commissions), but can find no funds to adequately pay, train, equip, dress or hire firemen, municipal workers and volunteers, so that the highly-flammable pine forests can be relatively clear of fallen branches and leaves, monitored and patrolled. Oh yes, and our army is busy cleaning toilets, fighting in exotic places where our good allies arm-twisted it to be, going shopping (and elsewhere) with the wives of generals, and heroically blocking the entry to fortress Europe to impoverished immigrants escaping the wars of our allies...

The Ancient Nemean Games (NEMEIA), one of the four major athletic events of ancient Greece (others were Olympeia, Isthmeia & Delpheia) were revived once more in the ancient stadium of Nemea, in the Peloponnese, Greece, on Solstice Day. 600 athletes from around the world, clad in tunics, run barefoot in the ancient stadium, to earn nothing more than palm branches and wild celery.BBC Video - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7470858.stmSociety of the Revival of the Nemean GamesNemea Excavations - University of California, Berkeley

QUOTEI am not a labor leader. I don't want you to follow me or anyoneelse. If you are looking for a Moses to lead you out of the capitalistwilderness you will stay right where you are. I would not lead you intothis promised land if I could, because if I could lead you in, someoneelse would lead you out. John dos Passos, The 42nd Parallel (1930)

Gunter Wallraf, father of undercover journalism, defender of human rights and immigrant rights, now turns his sights against supermarket chains and exposes the dark side of consumerism.See the video:http://www.zeit.de/2008/19/Wallraff-19This Giant was once arrested and tortured by my country's dictatorship, back in 1974 when he had the idea to protest in favour of human rights, by chaining himself to an electricity post next to the parliament, in Syntagma square (Constitution square) of Athens, handing out leaflets, and deliberately carrying no ID papers on him, so that he would be considered a Greek and certainly be detained.In his appearance in the court, he pointed out the ignorance/indifference of Tourists then visiting Greece about the ugliness of the dictatorship, and he attributed it to lack of information in the press.He was sentenced to 14 months, but was released in 3 months as the regime collapsed.How many tourists today visit similar regimes, just to bask in the sun? How long can human rights abuses be filed under 'cultural differences' , 'cultural sensitivity' & 'respect to local culture'. There is but one Culture, the Human one, and Gunter Wallraff shows the way to real travellers - each one can be an undercover journalist! And I would...